NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump addressed several pressing international conflicts after stepping off Air Force One in Maryland on Sunday, declaring that Iranian naval forces had been destroyed ahead of a planned energy blockade and expressing sharp disapproval of NATO for its perceived lack of support.
“Their military is destroyed,” Trump said. “Their whole Navy is underwater. You know that 158 ships are gone. Their navy is gone. Most of their mine droppers are gone.”
“At 10 tomorrow, we have a blockade going into effect,” Trump added. “Other nations are working so that Iran will not be able to sell oil.”
Trump further underscored the United States’ energy independence, asserting that international vessels are bypassing traditional routes in favor of purchasing American oil.
TRUMP, RUBIO FACE NATO CHIEF AS U.S. MOVES TO “REEXAMINE” ALLIANCE AFTER IRAN CLASH
“There are many boats heading toward our country to fill up with oil and then go and take it,” he said.
The president then expressed sharp disapproval of NATO countries, indicating that America’s financial commitment to support the alliance, particularly against Russia, is going to be under “very serious examination.”
“But I’m very disappointed in NATO,” he said. “They weren’t there for us. We pay trillions of dollars for NATO, and they weren’t there for us.”
While NATO countries are now stepping up to assist the U.S., Trump described the effort as too late.
“Now they want to come up, but there’s no real threat anymore,” he said.
“When you think of it, we’re guarding against Russia,” he added. “And I’ve long thought it was a little ridiculous, but we spent trillions of dollars doing it. And I think that’s going to be under very serious examination.”
TRUMP PRESSES NATO PARTNERS ON SUPPORT AS HEGSETH BLASTS HESITATION
Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO, accusing the alliance of providing limited assistance during the Iran offensive, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” and refusing to offer naval support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” he said to the alliance in a Truth Social post on March 31.
Trump’s recent remarks also followed a meeting last week with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, where the president again criticized the alliance for what he described as a failure to adequately support the American people.
“It’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it’s the American people who have been funding their defense,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously said, referring to the meeting.
Among the European countries accused of withholding support amid escalating tensions, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reportedly shut down Spanish airspace to aircraft participating in strikes against Iran, including U.S. bombers, and denied Washington access to military bases located within the country.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron blocked Israeli aircraft from traversing French airspace to transport U.S.-made munitions intended for the conflict with Iran.
Meanwhile, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told Trump during a phone call that a “more European NATO” is beginning to take shape, signaling a potential shift in the alliance’s strategic direction.
Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Read the full article here